lumpy wafflesquirt
138 posts
Jan 05, 2010
11:14 AM
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Many years ago I bought a Koch chromatic harp and could never work out why the notes weren't in the same place as in my book.
Now I know that the Koch is a slide harp and not quite the same as a 'proper' chromatic.
I now want to get into the chromatic a bit more to play some tunes that I can't play on the diatonic.
Should I stick with the Koch or invest in a real chromatic? are they all that different?
I guess the real answer is to learn all the overblows etc to be able to play the diatonic chromatically.
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toddlgreene
349 posts
Jan 05, 2010
11:21 AM
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If your Koch is what I think it is, it's identical to the Hohner Slide Harp I traded away last night-a diatonic 10-hole with a slide that sharps up 1/2 a step, so mine was essentially a c/c# harp, all in one. I personally didn't like it, but I'm a straight-up diatonic guy. When I get the itch for playing a chromatic, I pull out my Super 64 or Swan, but I'd be lying if I said I was an aficionado of the chromatic. It and a 10-hole MB-type of harp are totally different animals.
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~Todd L. Greene
crescentcityharmonicaclub@gmail.com
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isaacullah
528 posts
Jan 05, 2010
11:39 AM
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lumpy... Man, this is good coincidence. I'm just uploading three YouTubes I made about the Hohner educator 10 Chromatic I got for christmas. When they finish uploading, I'll start a thread with them, along with my detailed text review. The bottom line is that the $35 educator 10 is a great Chromatic for playing blues on, especailly for a player used to diatonics.
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The magnificent YouTube channel of the internet user known as "isaacullah"
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lumpy wafflesquirt
139 posts
Jan 05, 2010
11:47 AM
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@toddlgreene - yes you are right it is in effect a c/c# all in one. one of these http://www.bmusic.com.au/prod2568.htm
Can you bend on a proper chromatic as I seem to be able bend this one.
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toddlgreene
350 posts
Jan 05, 2010
11:52 AM
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@lumpy-as for bending,not a lot without an unpleasant sqeak(this is annoyin to me because I bend notes OFTEN in my playing), and I'm just guessing it's got something to do with the windsavers.
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~Todd L. Greene
crescentcityharmonicaclub@gmail.com
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Kingley
587 posts
Jan 05, 2010
11:57 AM
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A Koch harmonica is tubed the same way as a diatonic.
A chromatic is tuned differently. If you're serious about learning to play chromatic then I would recommend buying a good 16 hole one.
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barbequebob
295 posts
Jan 05, 2010
12:30 PM
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Little Walter used one on "Oh Baby," using a key of C, played in Ab, basically 2nd position, but with the slide pressed in.
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Sincerely,
Barbeque Bob Maglinte
Boston, MA
http://www.barbequebob.com
CD available at http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/bbmaglinte
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barbequebob
298 posts
Jan 05, 2010
12:51 PM
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There are lots of blues guys who play chromatic using the 12 holers instead of 16 or both. George Harmonica Smith used both, plus instead of only using it in 3rd position like many of the Little Walter/Carey Bell school of players, he often played it in 1st as well. I use the 16 holers (which only comes in C from most manufacturers, tho Bends has one available in Bb),and I use 12 holers in Bb, F, and G.
BTW, as far as I'm concerned, when it comes to playing blues on a chromatic, hands down, George Harmonica Smith is the man, and his most famous pupils are Rod Piazza, William Clarke, and Kim Wilson.
As far as bending on a chromatic, you can, but as a general rule, not more than 1/4 step and you have to EASE your way into it because chromatics do not respond well to being played really hard at all.
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Sincerely,
Barbeque Bob Maglinte
Boston, MA
http://www.barbequebob.com
CD available at http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/bbmaglinte
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lumpy wafflesquirt
140 posts
Jan 05, 2010
2:15 PM
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I found a website about playing chromatics.... complicated or what?
left tongue block, right tongue block, corner switching..... I think I'll stick with the diatonic ans occasional use of the slide harp for tunes where I can't get the accidentals.
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